The Silk Road

Surrounded by 5,000-meter high mountains, the South Caucasus was a strategic point tying together all directions of the Silk Road. Home to 50 ethnic groups, the region is a cultural treasure trove of unique ethnic music, religious architecture, wines, and so on. It has also been invaded by the Roman, Mongol, and Ottoman empires. Wars still rage even now, and over one million people have become refugees. The region is truly representative of both the blessings and the historical calamities brought on by the Silk Road. This leg of the journey will take you to three countries -- Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia -- countries that have long fostered unique cultures tempered by the flames of war.

With the end of the civil war, the people of Yemen are now building a new country. The remains of the palace of the Queen of Sheba, or Bilqs, are being excavated as a way of regaining Yemeni ethnic pride. North of Yemen lies the current oil kingdom, Saudi Arabia. Until 50 years ago, half of the Saudi people led nomadic lives. With the sharp rises in oil prices, people in Saudi Arabia gained enormous wealth, and as a result, the historical character of their cities began to change its shape. The tale of rise and fall transcending time and space echoes through the 1,500-kilometer journey across the Arabian Peninsula.

Our next destination is the countries in Central Asia. We will visit a new city that has emerged near the border between Kyrgyzstan and China. The city shows rapid growth due to the huge influx of Chinese goods. Heading west, we will see the cotton fields spread out across a huge oasis in Uzbekistan. We also explore the beautiful, white-bricked city of Bukhara, which still maintains an atmosphere of the middle ages. In one of the city's narrow streets, Uzbekis, Russians, Jews, and others live together side-by-side in harmony. Visit these people who live to the fullest amidst the uncertainties after the collapse of the former Soviet Union.

From Kazakhstan, this episode cuts through the steppe regions of Central Asia to Russia and the Ukraine. We meet ethnic Kazakhs in China seeking to return to their homeland and displaced Chechens deciding whether to return to their war-torn homeland or stay where it is peaceful. And Cossacks, many of whom are now reviving their proud heritage of military service in Imperial Russia, asserting themselves as bastions of support for the Putin government. As we continue our journey through Central Asia, we listen to the songs and stories of these people who are longing to return to the homelands of their distant memories.

Syria and Lebanon are the "last 100km" of the Silk Road. This area is also where various religions coexist. Here are found a hidden village where Christianity has been protected for 2,000 years, a temple of the Roman Empire, a Shiite holy city, and Christian Maronites who have continued to treasure the legendary Lebanon cedar. However, this area is also plagued by endless wars. The voices of prayers for peace are heard as we wonder if those of a family who's lost a son amid the confrontations can appease the continuous conflicts.